Jumat, 06 April 2012

The City Of Sanford, Florida Is Preparing For The Worst In The Trayvon Martin Case

The Question Is What's Taking The Government So Long To Make An Announcement

Trayvon Martin

One of the top stories in the world right now that is not reflecting well on the government of Sanford, Florida, is the murder of 17-year-old African-American, Trayvon Martin, who was killed by 28-year-old George Zimmerman, in a racially charged incident. It has been announced via the mayor of Sanford, Jeff Tripplett, the city is prepping for the worst, while waiting for state attorney, Angela Corey, to announce whether Zimmerman will be prosecuted for the February 26, 2012 murder of the unarmed teen.

Martin was in compliance with the law, Zimmerman was not, via stalking, civil rights act violations, assault and murder. He also violated the neighborhood watch rules in patrolling the community with a gun. Zimmerman is the stalker and aggressor. He is the one clearly in the wrong. Had he followed the law and local rules, none of this would have happened. Let's establish and accept that painful fact and not pretend this was all somehow lawful.

If Zimmerman is not charged or is acquitted, the fall out will spread well beyond Sanford and billions of dollars in damage could ensue. I am not encouraging violence or wishing for it, but anyone reading the internet will realize, many are threatening it if justice is not served. I'm not a cynic - I'm a realist. I know what I have been reading on many websites, via comments submitted in feedback sections. People are angry.

George Zimmerman

For some black people, in what has been dubbed "post racial America" the Martin murder has come as a shock, nasty slap in the face and reopened terrible wounds from the civil rights era. However, I'm not surprised by what transpired regarding Martin's killing, as I have experienced and written for years of terrible human rights abuses, including aggravated stalking and attempted murder in Florida and though it was reported to the appropriate authorities, they took bribes and swept it under the rug.

All is not equal and injustice is running rampant. Corruption is costly. It's not worth the trouble. It is better to do the right thing in the first place.

Already, the government, both local and federal, have lost money on this case. Businesses in the city of Sanford is also losing money. One restaurant owner reported losing $10,000 per week. Other businesses have been suffering as well, due to the terrible stigma attached to the city. They are losing tourist dollars. The federal government is trying to run damage control and has launched its own investigation, which will end up costing a significant amount of money as well.

The Retreat in Sanford, Florida where Trayvon Martin was killed

Many people know about this story. The ink that has been spilled due to this murder is massive, as the story has been featured in just about every major newspaper of the world, on international television and in the blogosphere. Mayor Trippet is hoping to counter that stating, "Those that would like to make this a defining moment for the city of Sanford are wrong, and we just have to make sure that we do a good job of making sure that that's not our lasting image." However, it is a defining moment, because the local government failed to do the right thing.

It's not like the BP oil spill where the company paid for ads to lure tourists back to the affected areas by speaking about the clean up. What would the Sanford ads look like, a government official stating, "Hey, remember that black kid that was killed and we tried to cover it up, well we've cleaned up and want you to come visit." There are some things a PR campaign can't fix.